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Parking Meters, A Smidge Less Annoying

The city of Long Beach, California is introducing smart parking meters in select locations on Broadway Avenue and 3rd Street. The city of Long Beach is not the first city with these parking meters, but it made me think about how annoying it is to park in congested cities, especially with wicked parking meters. Some parking meters are beyond wicked for example the ones in Santa Monica, California.

However, with this news there is hope for a better future. The new meters allow you to pay via a mobile phone application, Parkmobile, available for Apple iOS, Android and Blackberry. You can also pay with a credit card or coins.... coins? We might as well wear togas and name our kids Lucius like ancient Romans.

The phone application will also alert you through text or e-mail when you are going over your time limit. If you can purchase more time, you will be able to do it through your phone, without ever having to revisit the parking meter.

And the parking meters are solar powered! It is a win win situation.* The city gets revenue from parking meters and we get more parking spaces with friendlier meters.

*Except for the fact that the city of Long Beach took away two driving lanes to put in a parking lane and bike lane.

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